Summary
Nayanka Bell (born 1963 in Agboville, Ivory Coast)[1] is an Ivorian singer who has released several albums, the earliest between 1982 and 1984.
Nayanka Bell | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Louise de Marillac |
| Born | 1963 (age 60–61) Agboville, Ivory Coast |
| Genres | Disco, funk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer/songwriter |
| Years active | 1981–present |
Biography edit
Bell's early work was inspired by the Francophone Caribbean, and although her native tongue is French, she sings in English.[1] Her debut album, Amio, was released in 1983, with styles ranging from funk and disco to ballads.[1] A second album in 1986, If You Came To Go, showed a greater Antillean influence.[1] Bell is considered one of the top female Ivorian singers.[2]
In 2000, she recorded a version of Serge Gainsbourg's "Je t'aime... moi non-plus", with Congolese singer Koffi Olomidé and performed it in front of 17,000 spectators at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy.[3]
In April 2009, Bell was critically injured in a road accident, prompting rumours to spread that she had died.[4] She in fact survived the accident although her injuries were serious and required several operations.[5]
Discography edit
- Just a Boogie (1983) SIIS
- Amio (1984) Celluloid
- Djama (1984) Celluloid
- If You Came to Go (1986) Celluloid
- Visa (1994) SLP Editions
- Brin de Folie (2001)
References edit
- ^ a b c d Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p. 23
- ^ Ham, Anthony, Bainbridge, James, & Bewer, Tim (2006) West Africa, Lonely Planet, ISBN 978-1-74059-771-5, p. 262
- ^ Hebdo, Bamako (2008) "Nayanka Bell : Pourquoi on ne l'entend plus", Maliweb, 21 March 2008
- ^ "Côte d'Ivoire: Victime d'un accident dimanche – Nayanka Bell interdite de visite", Allafrica.com, 9 April 2009
- ^ Kader, Omar Abdel (2009) "Nayanka Bell: Elle va mieux", Top Visages, 18 April 2009